The invention relates to a processing apparatus for container blanks, with a machine bed, a feed device for feeding container blanks, a discharge device for removal of container blanks, a rotatably mounted rotary worktable with several locating devices designed for temporary location of container blanks and for conveyance of container blanks along a circular orbit section shaped conveyance path between the feed device and the discharge device, wherein the conveyance path determines a first circle segment shaped surface section, several operating devices lying opposite the rotary worktable in the radial direction and which are designed for the processing of container blanks located on the rotary worktable, and at least one conveyor designed for conveyance of components of container blanks and/or for container blanks along a conveyor section between a component mounting and an assigned operating device. The invention also relates to a method for the operation of a processing apparatus.
A processing apparatus according to prior art known to the applicant but not set out in writing is used to carry out one or more processing operations on container blanks. The container blanks are for example aerosol cans of metal, or tube blanks of metal or plastic, with a substantially hollow cylindrical shape. These container blanks may undergo various processing operations in the processing apparatus. A frequently undertaken processing operation is the application of a closure, in particular a screw closure, to one of the two ends of the container blank, so that the latter may in a downstream processing step, for example at a filling station, be filled with a product and then also sealed at the second end.
To carry out such processing operations, the processing apparatus includes a machine bed or base frame, to which is attached a feed device for the feeding of container blanks. The feed device is connected to an upstream conveying device, for example a conveyor belt, a chain conveyor or a magazine storage unit, over which the container blanks to be processed are conveyed from upstream processing stations to the processing unit. Also, rotatably mounted on the machine bed, is a rotary worktable, on which are mounted several locating devices for temporary location of container blanks. The container blanks are fed by the feed device from the upstream conveying device to the locating devices, being for example pushed on to them. They are then fed to the operating devices attached to the machine bed by means of a rotary step movement of the rotary worktable, which effects a pulsed circular movement of the container blanks. The desired processing operations are undertaken by the operating devices which, relative to the rotary worktable, are arranged on the outside of the machine bed in the radial direction. At the end of the circular orbit section shaped conveyance path of the container blanks held and now processed on the locating devices, the blanks are removed from the respective locating devices with the aid of a discharge device, and fed to a downstream conveying device. The downstream conveying device may also be a conveyor belt, a chain conveyor or a magazine storage unit. During the movement of the rotary worktable, the container blanks are moved on between the feed device and the discharge device on a circular orbit section shaped conveyance path, in which a surface covered by the longitudinal axes of the container blanks facing radially outwards may be regarded as the first circle segment shaped surface section. The known processing apparatus also includes at least one conveyor, which is designed for conveyance of components of and/or for container blanks along a conveyor section between a component mounting and an assigned operating device. With the aid of the conveyor, provision may be made for example for the supplying of closure components for attachment to the container blanks in the course of processing, and/or the removal of processing residues such as cut-off edge sections of the container blanks, between the component mounting and the assigned processing device.
The problem of the invention is to provide a processing apparatus and a method of operating a processing apparatus which facilitate improved adaptation to differing production requirements.